Vatican feels "shame and sorrow" over U.S. grand jury report on abuse
Vatican feels "shame and sorrow" over U.S. grand jury report on abuseVATICAN CITY - 17 August 2018: The Vatican, in its first response to a damning report by a U.S. grand jury on sexual abuse of children by priests in Pennsylvania, on Thursday expressed "shame and sorrow".The grand jury on Tuesday released the findings of the largest-ever investigation of sex abuse in the U.S. Catholic Church, finding that 301 priests in the state had sexually abused minors over the past 70 years.In a statement, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke also said the Catholic Church "must learn hard lessons from its past", and that the Vatican vowed to hold abusers and enablers accountable.The statement stressed the "need to comply" with civil law, including mandatory reporting of abuse against minors and said Pope Francis understands how "these crimes can shake the faith and spirit of believers" and that he wanted to "root out this tragic horror".Earlier on Thursday, U.S. Roman Catholic bishops called for a Vatican-led probe backed by lay investigators into allegations of sexual abuse by former Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who resigned last month.
Source:Egypt Today
August 16, 2018 20:26 UTC
U.S. Secretary of State names special representative for Iran
U.S. Secretary of State names special representative for IranALEXANDRIA, Va. - 17 August 2018: A jury began deliberations in Virginia on Thursday in the trial of Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, who faces bank and tax fraud charges that could put him behind bars for years.The six men and six women received final instructions from U.S. District Judge T.S. The defense called no witnesses, arguing that prosecutors failed to prove their case.The case involved millions of dollars Manafort received from pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine for work as a political consultant. When Yanukovych fled Ukraine in 2014, the political work dried up and Manafort lied about his finances to get loans from banks, prosecutors said.Defense lawyers argued that prosecutors had not proved Manafort willfully committed any crimes. He then called on a "Mr. Trump," prompting laughter and a smile from Manafort. Jim Trump, a federal prosecutor involved in another case, responded.
Source:Egypt Today
August 16, 2018 19:30 UTC
US threatens more Turkey sanctions if pastor not freed
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, at a cabinet meeting, threatens more sanctions against Turkey if it does not release a jailed American pastorU.S.A. - 17 August 2018: Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin warned Thursday the United States would levy more sanctions on the troubled Turkish economy if Ankara does not soon release a jailed American pastor.Deepening a spat that has rattled financial markets and threated to split a long-standing defense and political alliance, Mnuchin on Thursday suggested the next spiral of tit-for-tat sanctions was coming soon. "We have put sanctions on several of their cabinet members," Mnuchin told President Donald Trump in a cabinet meeting attended by the press, including AFP. "We have more that we are planning to do if they don't release him quickly. "Trump prefaced Mnuchin's remarks by saying that Turkey had not been a very good friend to America.Referring to imprisoned pastor Andrew Brunson, Trump said "they have a great Christian pastor there, he's a very innocent man. A Trump tweet on Friday announcing a doubling of aluminum and steel tariffs for Turkey triggered the rout in the currency markets.The lira's drop in value is certain to further fuel inflation, which is already near 16 percent.Albayrak said there would be no concessions on fiscal discipline, adding: "We are targeting lowering inflation into the single digits as soon as possible.
Source:Egypt Today
August 16, 2018 18:33 UTC
Rights groups condemn Kabul school blast as outrage grows
"Death to your ceasefire and death to your ghost peace talks," cried one of the funeral attendees. "They are killing our educated people and every day they are killing us. "Everyday we are witnessing deadly attacks in Kabul and other major cities. "The Taliban will try to have an upper hand during talks, so we can't rule out more attacks until a ceasefire," said Taliban expert Rahimullah Yusufzai. "It's the fighting season and the Taliban will want to rack up victories before winter.
Source:Egypt Today
August 16, 2018 18:22 UTC
Scientists detail full genome of wheat for first time
Scientists say that mapping a a comprehensive wheat genome was an "immense challenge" that took over a decade, because bread wheat contains five times more genes than a human17 August 2018: In a breakthrough that experts say will help feed the growing global population in the coming decades, scientists Thursday revealed they have cracked the full genome of wheat for the first time.Wheat feeds more than a third of the global human population, providing more protein than meat in the human diet and making about one-fifth of calories consumed by people.But it is harder to grow in hot, dry weather, and these challenging conditions are expected to intensify as the planet warms due to climate change.Experts say the world needs more disease-resistant varieties and breeds that can grow with less water in a warmer environment. "This will greatly speed up our efforts on identification of agriculturally important wheat genes, including those that would help to combat major fungal diseases," said Kostya Kanyuka a functional genomics scientist at Rothamsted Research. "This will also be hugely and immediately beneficial for wheat breeders, accelerating development of new elite varieties. "Mapping a comprehensive wheat genome was an "immense challenge" that took 13 years, because bread wheat contains five times more genes than a human, said the report in the journal Science.The type of wheat detailed by 200 scientists from 20 countries is Chinese Spring (Triticum aestivum) a variety of bread wheat which is the world's most widely cultivated crop, said the study led by the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium (IWGSC). "Wheat productivity needs to increase by 1.6 percent a year to meet the demands of a projected world population of 9.6 billion by 2050," said the report.The wheat genome contains 107,891 genes, and its complex genome contains 16 billion base pairs, which are the building blocks of DNA.Humans, by contrast, have about 20,000 genes and three billion base pairs.
Source:Egypt Today
August 16, 2018 18:11 UTC
Egyptians with Gender Dysphoria tell their sufferings
Transgender flag - CC via Flickr/torbakhopperCAIRO – 16 August 2018: The term “Gender Dysphoria (GD)” has a misconception in the Egyptian society. We had no time and just found that many important things should be done before the wedding. I could not dare tell my mother because she was always rebuking me and beating me. I learned later that he is a man with gender dysphoria. However, his legal right turns invalid following the three-year period, the lawyer said.
Source:Egypt Today
August 16, 2018 17:48 UTC
CBE keeps interest rates unchanged for 3rd time in 2018
FILE – Central Bank of EgyptCBE expected to keep interest rates Thursday CAIRO - 16 August 2018: The Central Bank of Egypt is expected to keep interest rates unchanged during Thursday's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. Despite the inflationary pressure which came in June as a result of implementing the economic program coinciding with Islamic events, Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr, investment banks see that the MPC will keep the rates at the current levels. "Inflation may rise a little further in July on the back of electricity price hikes that came into effect at the start of this month,” Capital Economics said in a report. “Even so, we doubt that higher inflation will prompt the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) to raise interest rates at its meeting in mid-August. "“We expect another 350bp of rate cuts, taking the overnight deposit rate to 13.25 percent by the end of 2018,” according to Capital Economics.
Source:Egypt Today
August 16, 2018 17:15 UTC
Ehab Tawfik to perform in Citadel Festival Aug. 16
Ehab Tawfik - Egypt TodayCAIRO – 16 August 2018:Popular star Ehab Tawfik will perform a concert Aug.16 at 10 p.m. as part of the closing ceremony of the 27th edition of the Salah el-Din Citadel International Festival for Music and Singing.The ceremony will be attended by Head of the Egyptian Opera House, Magdy Saber and supervised by Magdy Boghdady, head of the House of Arts section in the festival. The festival is fully organized by the Egyptian Opera House.Tawfik will perform some his most popular 80s and 90s songs, including "Allah Alaik Ya Sidi" (You are So Great), "Tetraga Feya" (Beg Me), "Maraseel" (Letters) and many more.The first concert is going to be held at 8 p.m. on Mahka Theatre 1, in which singer Niveen Ragab will perform along with Mohamed and Heidi's Orchestra. Ragab is going to sing a selection of the golden era's songs, beside her hits.Some of the songs included in the program are "Benlef" (We Turn), "Qal Gani Ba'd Yomain" (He Returned Two Days Later), "Habibi Wala Ala Balo" (My Love Never Cares), and more.
Source:Egypt Today
August 16, 2018 17:03 UTC
Sisi orders immediate state-paid treatment for child Marwa
The one who responds to the treatment of mentally handicapped child will be sure rewarded by God," Ibrahim said.The Program of Treatment at the Expense of State (PTES) is the main alternative available for underprivileged Egyptian patients who cannot afford to pay for adequate medical treatment. Although the system is openly criticized, the perceptions differ according to the roles and experiences of the different stakeholders.Officials maintain that strict rules and regulations were lately implemented to insure the effectiveness and efficiency of the system. For instance, patients whose treatment required very high costs had to go through a long process to be granted treatment at the expense of the state, highlighting the importance of having a unified universal healthcare system. Meanwhile, Minister of Health and Population Hala Zayed delivered a presentation on efforts deployed to provide immediate treatments for patients on waiting lists to undergo critical surgeries.The World Bank decided early July to invest $530 million in a project to improve Egyptian health care. The money will go toward a five-year project being implemented by the Ministry of Health and Population and will be an integral component of Egypt’s ambitious health reforms, the World Bank said.
Source:Egypt Today
August 09, 2018 23:48 UTC
Judge orders migrants returned to U.S. in midst of deportation flight
Judge orders migrants returned to U.S. in midst of deportation flightUSA - 10 August 2018: A federal judge on Thursday ordered an immigrant mother and daughter brought back to the United States after learning during a court hearing that the government had put them on a deportation flight to El Salvador.The pair were among 12 plaintiffs in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) challenging changes in asylum policies ordered by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.Washington D.C. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan was hearing a request to stay the plaintiffs' deportations, when the ACLU learned that two of them were already on a flight to Central America, the civil rights group said.Upon hearing the news, Sullivan ordered their flight returned and suggested that Sessions could be held in contempt of court, according to the ACLU.An official from the Department of Homeland Security said in an emailed statement that the agency is "complying with the court’s order, and upon arrival in El Salvador, the plaintiffs did not disembark and are currently en route back to the United States.”During the hearing, the judge ordered a temporary stay on deporting the nine women and three children who filed the lawsuit, according to a court filing.The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in the District of Columbia by the ACLU. It challenges a recent tightening on standards for seeking U.S. asylum, which makes it far more difficult for those fleeing domestic or gang violence to win the right to remain in the United States.Sessions has led efforts by the Trump Administration to crack down on illegal immigration, including the adoption of a zero tolerance policy that briefly included separating immigrant parents from their children while they were in U.S. detention.The family separation policy led to widespread criticism and was abandoned in June.
Source:Egypt Today
August 09, 2018 22:18 UTC
Egypt seeks to stop escalation, Israeli attacks over Gaza Strip: Source
Gaza in flames after IDF attacks on early Thursday on Aug. 9, 2018 – Source: israelpalestine.liveuamapCAIRO – 10 August 2018: Egypt has been exerting a lot of efforts since yesterday in an attempt to stop the field escalations and Israeli attacks over the Gaza Strip, a reliable source said Thursday according to Sawa News Agency. The source added that Egypt made a series of communications with several organizations and bodies to cease fire in the Gaza Strip and stop the situation from escalating. The flare-up comes as Egypt is trying to broker a long-term cease-fire between the two sides. Yesterday, a reliable source affirmed that Cairo is continuing its strenuous efforts with Palestinian officials in order to reach a number of understandings regarding the reconciliation process between Fatah and Hamas. The efforts, according to the source, are aiming to stand on a united national Palestinian vision that provides a suitable and a decent life for Palestinians.
Source:Egypt Today
August 09, 2018 22:07 UTC
Sisi, PM follow-up on establishment of 12 new cities in Egypt: Spokesman
FILE: Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Bassam RadiCAIRO – 10 August 2018: Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Bassam Radi said Thursday the Cabinet has met to follow-up on all the developments and updates regarding the establishment of 12 new cities in Egypt. Ambassador Radi added during a phone interview with Al-Hayah satellite channel that the meeting also focused on setting a national plan to establish new cities and urban communities all over Egypt. The meeting came on the sidelines of a meeting between President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli and Executive manager of Dar Al Handasah Co. Mohamed Yehia Zaki. This, according to Radi, will provide various job opportunities and will be based on cutting edge designs to be an example of new-generation cities. He also added that the new cities will include green space, mosques, churches, schools and universities; “These new cities will change the surface of urban communities in Egypt.”
Source:Egypt Today
August 09, 2018 21:56 UTC
At least 29 children killed in strike on Yemen bus
"Save the Children condemns this horrific attack and is calling for a full, immediate and independent investigation into this and other recent attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure," it said.- 'Innocent children's lives' -Geert Cappelaere, the UN Children's Fund regional director in the Middle East and North Africa, said the children were "reportedly under the age of 15". "Does the world really need more innocent children's lives to stop the cruel war on children in Yemen? "This latest air strike, only a week after the attacks on Hodeida city, demonstrates a continued disregard for human life and suffering," said Johan Mooij, the agency's country director in Yemen. "It is beyond cruel; innocent children's lives have been lost. "The war in impoverished Yemen has left nearly 10,000 people dead and unleashed what the UN describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.The United Nations envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, last week told the Security Council "a political solution" to end the Yemen war was "available" and that the warring sides would be invited to talks on September 6 in Geneva.UN-brokered negotiations on Yemen broke down in 2016 amid demands for a rebel withdrawal from key cities and power-sharing with the Saudi-backed government.
Source:Egypt Today
August 09, 2018 19:07 UTC
'Time has come' to create US Space Force, sixth military branch: Pence
US Vice President Mike Pence speaks about the creation of the Space Force at the Pentagon10 August 2018: Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday unveiled details of plans to build a US Space Force that would become the sixth branch of America's massive military, saying the "time has come" to prepare for "the next battlefield. "The time has come to establish the United States Space Force," he said, repeating Trump's call for Congress to invest an additional $8 billion in US space security systems over the next five years.Shortly after Pence's speech, Trump tweeted: "Space Force all the way! "Currently, the Air Force oversees most space capabilities and there is some push back from officials who worry Space Force's mission would be duplicative and create turf wars.Given the stakes surrounding building a new branch of the military, the issue is likely to be a political football.Democratic Senator Brian Schatz said on Twitter that Space Force "won't happen. "No Republican is willing to tell Trump it's a "dumb idea," added the lawmaker from Hawaii. "We need to address space as a developing, war-fighting domain and a combatant command is certainly one thing that we can establish," he said.
Source:Egypt Today
August 09, 2018 17:48 UTC
Spanish goalkeeper Rico joins Fulham on loan from Sevilla
Soccer Football - Spanish King's Cup - Quarter Final Second Leg - Sevilla vs Atletico Madrid - Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Seville, Spain - January 23, 2018 Sevilla’s Sergio Rico celebrates a goal REUTERS/Jon NazcaAug 9 (Reuters) - Fulham have signed Spanish goalkeeper Sergio Rico on a season-long loan deal from Sevilla, the newly-promoted Premier League club said on Thursday.The 24-year-old academy graduate has made 170 appearances for Sevilla during his career, and has also been capped once by the national team.Rico was an integral part of the Sevilla squad for four seasons and won the Europa League twice before losing his position as first choice keeper last season. "Sergio joins a very talented cast of goalkeepers under contract at FFC, and he answers our mandate of making our squad the strongest and deepest it can be as we face top Premier League opposition," Fulham's director of football operations Tony Khan said in a statement.Rico could feature in the Slavisa Jokanovic's squad when they host Crystal Palace in their opening league match on Saturday.Fulham also confirmed the signing of left-back Joe Bryan from Bristol City on a four-year contract, with an option to extend by a further year.
Source:Egypt Today
August 09, 2018 16:52 UTC